Ready, Set, Go!

We are packed and ready to go!!!
O gets his first passport stamp tomorrow...no more blank pages!
See you in 15 hours, Grandma Q!!!

What to Pack?

Daddy Q and I are working on the packing list and logistics for the trek to England. Pre-Owen, packing for a trip was something that Daddy Q and I could do in an hour or less. We both travel for work, so we have a standard routine down. We get that stuff in the bag, look at each other and ask "what 'special' might we do and what 'special' stuff might we need to go with it?" You know..are we planning on going for a really nice night out on the town? If so, need a dressier outfit, nicer jewelry...GQ needs a dress shirt and cuff links. Are we going someplace with a pool? If so, suits, lotion, etc. Do we both need to be able to work at the same time? No...one laptop to share will work. You get the idea.

Well...traveling with this little man is a different story. You should see the packing list that we have come up with. There is a section for "Mommy & Owen's Bag" for things that go to England, Tennessee, and home, "Daddy Q's Bag" for things that go to England, but we don't need in Tennessee and consumables, "Carry-On Bag" for the must-haves for the wait at the gate and then 9+ hour plane trip, and Other, Stand-alone Items...the really important stuff--the stroller, car seat, and passports!

We have the list all printed, the bags pulled out of the closet, and a plan. I think we are almost ready to get everything organized and in the bag! Most importantly, we arranged a playdate with O's closest friends for Tuesday afternoon so that he can play, play, play in hopes that translates into sleep, sleep, sleep on the plane Tuesday night!

Saturday was Miss Emma D.'s 1st birthday. Emma is the lone gal in O's circle of friends. Here are a few photos I took from the day!

The birthday girl and Owen in the playroom.

Birthday Gal surrounded by her guys...O was working on pulling out her bow.

Emma with her Birthday Hat on--it lasted, oh, 10 seconds or so!

Emma's mom thought it would be fun for all of the kiddos to have a cupcake with the birthday girl. Guess who got the messiest? Well...that would be Emma, actually. Owen was a close second though. I think these shots are funny.

Hey, Emma. Check them out.
Wow...they aren't near as messy as us, Owen.

I'm holding my own.

Dude, clean up your game before you look like those two on the end....I heard a rumor that their mom's are putting them in the bath tub.

And so, in the end, the messiest two ended up in the tub.

Happy First Birthday, Emma! We enjoyed sharing the afternoon with you!!!

New Coat & New Walking Clips

Owen got a new coat for his big trip to England. Isn't he a dapper little man? Mamma thinks you are oh so handsome!

I got three fun clips tonight of little man practicing his moves. I really want to remember this -- I think it is so much fun to watch -- and, before I know it he will be walking across the stage for his diploma!

Owen dribbling the ball across the living room floor...

Working on keeping his balance while turning...

I love, love, love his little walking legs. In his pj's tonight he looked so darn cute that I wanted to eat him up. He picks his feet up so high...it is precious. For those of you who don't know our house, he has just left his bedroom and is walking toward the kitchen/dining/hall to garage area. Once get gets to the cross road, he isn't sure where to go... so fun!

Practice Makes Perfect

Owen has been working really hard on walking. It is amazing to watch him concentrate so hard to develop this last major physical milestone (at least the last one before the really FUN ones--like fence climbing, shooting spit balls, and turning his eyelids inside out). O has two ways to approach this new skill. Sometimes he just lets go of what he is balancing on and goes for it, but other times he really gathers his strength and focus and concentrates on trying different moves, turns, or other skills that go with walking. Daddy Q and I are getting a kick out of watching him. Whether he is just going full on, no fear, or really taking his time to figure it out, I love seeing this corner of his personality.

The funniest thing that O has tried to "add" to his walking repertoir is kicking the ball AND walking. In the clip below, he falls after the kick...so I would have tried to get a better shot because this really is pretty cool (if I say so myself--I am his mom, so of course I think every move he makes is awesome). But...I kept this clip cause it has a surprise at the end that I think the grandparents will enjoy!

Okay, enough bragging on the little man....I'll get to the clip already.

Buried in Catalogues

So...this week I got fed up with the number of catalogues I receive in my mail box. Sure, I am an easy target...I love to shop...but, all of this mail is driving me mad.

I began contacting companies directly to request that they take me off of their list--I don't need the temptation and I am tired of filling up my recycle bin with stuff I don't even read. The customer service rep from Hanna Anderson shared with me a service that allows you to stop all credit card offers, catalogues from merchants you have never purchased from, magazine offers and other solicitations. I signed up today and should see a decrease of bulk in my mailbox in 6 - 8 weeks. If it works, I will post the website!!! If you want it anyway, post a comment and I will email it to you! I don't want to be responsible if it has the opposite effect. Right now, it is unconfirmed whether it is legit or not.

Here's to a less bulky mail box coming to a home near me soon!

Baby O's 1st Haircut

We are having family photos made tomorrow, which led to me deciding that today was a good day for Baby O's first haircut! Baby O, Daddy Q, Baby N's Mom, and I headed up to Sharkey's for the BIG DAY! Baby O watched N get his first snip...so he knew just what to do!!

Before Shot. I am standing in front of the t.v., which is playing the Wiggles...I think he is smiling through the annoyance of me blocking his view. Too funny.

Look at that crazy hair!! This shot is for anyone who thought my little dude didn't have enough hair for the cut!!!

First Snip.

After Shot. I am going to have to swat the ladies away...wow, baby O! You look awesome!!

Oh ya! I'm a big boy now!!

Workin' on Walkin'

When I picked O up from Mimi's today--I found a brave little guy trying to walk! In the video on the bottom, he looks like a drunk dude...it totally cracks me up. This guy is driven and fearless....a scary enough combination for a 10 month old...I am nervous about what I am in for when he is older!!

Enjoy the clips!

Ten Months Old Today - Election Day

O was up a 5:15 this morning, so I took advantage and we got in early to vote. This is my first Presidential Election to vote in!! Will make it that much more exciting to watch the Election Day coverage tonight. Get out there and vote!!

Happy 10 month birthday, my sweet boy. Today, you weighed in a 20 lbs 0 oz. and you were ready to pose for me again this month! As awesome as your photo-luvin' mom thinks that is, it made the pictures for 9 months and today look pretty much the same. Oh well.


Oh boy, do you love your food. Let me tell you, kiddo, there is nothing you enjoy more than eating. Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if you weighed 40 pounds, the way you eat. But, then again, you never do stop moving. You have really been working on walking the last couple of weeks. You just cruise around the furniture and then take off in one direction to see how far you can go. Your longest solo journey so far is 6 steps....Yay!! Last night, you were pushing your walker and got frustrated with the walls, so we took it outside. You walked the length of 5 houses before tiring. Keeping up with you when you start to walk...ahem, run....is going to be interesting.

This month, you learned to say ma ma, da da, and bye in that order. Today when we were in line for voting, I swear that you said "hi" to the fellow-voters. It sounds a lot like mom says it (with an East Texas accent it becomes more than one, maybe even 3?, syllables).

For a while, you have been blowing raspberries. This month, you took it to a whole new level. Grandmas Beware...what appears to be a kiss coming from O, just might be a raspberry to your neck. He is pretty tricky and it gets a laugh everytime so its a pretty fun game he plays.

This next month, O is going to take the biggest trip of his life, yet...mine, too for that matter). We leave for England on the 18th. While there, O will get to meet more of his English family, see a really cool toystore (Daddy Q promised me--me, as in Sarah ;-)), and take a trip to Bath to meet more family. Then, O and I will fly to Atlanta where Grandma and Aunt Dona will meet us and take us to Tennessee for Thanksgiving. Then, O and I will drive to East Texas with Grammie and Paw Paw Mc, meet up with Papa Tex, who will then take us halfway back to Dallas, where Daddy Q will gather us and all our stuff. Phew. Can you beleive we actually worked out those logistics. I hope that O hangs in there for the trip. Think of us this month!!

You are a very busy, good natured, sweet little boy and your ma ma and da da love you to pieces!

For giggles and grins, I leave you with this laughing baby. Sorry its sideways...I forget that the camera I use for clips has to be held horizontally....its worth the crick you might get ;-)